Digitalis hybrid plant named ‘Flamingo’

ABSTRACT

The new and distinct cultivar of  Digitalis  intergeneric hybrid plant named ‘Flamingo’ is characterized by sturdy, upright and dense habit with dark-green, serrate foliage and densely-branched flower stems with flowers that are open-faced, campanulate, self-cleaning, non-secund, rosy-pink over a long period. The flowers produce an abundance of nectar and are attractive to hummingbirds in the landscape. The new plant is useful in the garden landscape, as a container plant or as a cut flower.

Botanical designation: Digitalis x (Digitalis x Isoplexis).

Cultivar denomination: ‘Flamingo’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES UNDER 37 CFR 1.77(B)(6)

The first non-enabling disclosures are a posting on Feb. 1, 2021 byWalters Gardens, Inc. on their website and a brief description andphotograph in the “Walters Gardens 2021-2022 Catalog” first distributedon May 21, 2021. Information for these plants was obtained from theinventor. No plants of Digitalis ‘Flamingo’ have been sold, in thiscountry or anywhere in the world nor has any disclosure of the new plantbeen made more than one year prior the filing date of this application,and such disclosure within one year was obtained either directly orindirectly from the inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hybridplant, botanically known as Digitalis x (Digitalis x Isoplexis). The newintergeneric hybrid Digitalis x (Digitalis x Isoplexis) ‘Flamingo’ isthe product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor at awholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA. The objective of thebreeding program was to create novel intergeneric hybrid cultivarsbetween Digitalis species and Isoplexis species with excellent flowers,foliage and habit.

The new intergeneric Digitalis hybrid was a planned cross between aproprietary selection of the seed cultivar Digitalis purpurea (notpatented) as the female or seed parent times a proprietary, hybridselection known only as 12-02-01 (not patented) as the male or pollenparent on Dec. 4, 2012 and later assigned the breeder code of12-425-120. After further evaluation ‘Flamingo’ was selected as a singleplant from among several hundred crosses between various forms of suchDigitalis x (Digitalis x Isoplexis) hybrids and first asexuallypropagated by basal shoot cuttings in the fall of 2013 at the samewholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. The new plant has sincealso been successfully asexually propagated by sterile shoot tip tissueculture. All of the resultant asexually propagated plants by cuttingsand tissue culture have remained stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the hybrid plant cultivar Digitalis x (Digitalis x Isoplexis)‘Flamingo’ have not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as fertilizer, temperature, light intensity andphotoperiod and plant growth regulators without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits in combination with one another have beenrepeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristicsof ‘Flamingo’:

-   -   1. Sturdy, upright and dense flowering habit;    -   2. High number of stiff basal branches extending bloom season        from spring until frost;    -   3. Medium, open-faced, campanulate-formed, horizontal-facing,        long-blooming, self-cleaning, non-secund flowers of rosy-pink;    -   4. Broad, dark-green, sparsely-pubescent, mostly-basal, serrate        leaves.

Plants of the new Digitalis can be compared to the female parent, aproprietary selection of pink flowered Digitalis purpurea has longer,broader fertile flowers of lighter pale pink on shorter plants, thepetal lobe apices are rounded and the flowering season is shorter. Thefemale parent is also a biennial, whereas the new plant is a perennialin locations as warm as zone 8. The male parent has dark, glossy,glabrous foliage with less branching of the flower stems, and theflowers are apricot-yellow in color on darker stems.

Other closely comparable plants include, ‘Berry Canary’ U.S. Plant Pat.No. 27,607, ‘Firebird’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,840, ‘Flame’ (notpatented), ILLUMINATION® ‘Pink’ (not patented) and ‘Pink Champagne’ (notpatented). ‘Berry Canary’ has a shorter habit and larger flowers of hotpink with light yellow throats with burgundy speckling. ‘Firebird’ has aslightly taller habit, and flowers of coppery-pink with soft orangethroats having pinkish purple spotting. ‘Flame’ has a taller and broaderhabit with smaller flowers with a more orangish-red in the outside andpeachy-orange in the inside with orangish-red spotting. ILLUMINATION®‘Pink’ has petals with an outer surface color of hot pink with apricotundertones and the inner surface of creamy-melon and dark rose spotting.‘Pink Champagne’ has fertile flowers that are soft pinkish-lavender tolight pink on the outside with yellowish-cream center andreddish-burgundy spots, and the petal lobe apices are rounded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new plant demonstrate the overall appearance ofthe plant, including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate asreasonably possible with color reproductions. Ambient light spectrum,source and direction may cause the appearance of minor variation incolor. The plants used in the drawings are two-year-old plants with avernalization period of about 12 weeks, started in a greenhouse andlater grown in a trial garden at a wholesale nursery in Zeeland, Mich.with supplemental fertilizer but without plant growth regulators.

FIG. 1 shows the plant compact, dense, upright, flowering habit of atwo-year-old plant.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flowers and buds on the scape.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions and color references are based on the 2015edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except wherecommon dictionary terms are used. The new plant, ‘Flamingo’, has notbeen observed under all possible environments. The phenotype may varyslightly with different environmental conditions, such as temperature,light, fertility, moisture and maturity levels, but without any changein the genotype. The following observations and size descriptions are oftwo-year-old plants in the greenhouses of a nursery in Zeeland, Mich.with supplemental fertilizer and water as needed.

-   Parentage: Female, or seed parent an unnamed and unreleased    selection of pink flowering form of Digitalis purpurea; male, or    pollen parent an unreleased, proprietary, hybrid selection known by    the breeder code 12-02-01 which is a hybrid between Digitalis    ambigua times Isoplexis canariensis;-   Propagation method: Shoot tip cuttings and sterile shoot tip plant    tissue culture division.-   Root description: Fine, freely branching; color creamy-white,    nearest RHS 15D;-   Time to initiate roots from tissue culture: About two weeks;-   Crop time: Under normal cool spring growing conditions of 12° to 15°    C., finished flowering plants can be obtained in about 8 to 10 weeks    from a vernalized 25 mm plug;-   Plant vigor: Very good;-   Plant habit: Perennial, winter hardy from at least USDA zone 8    through 10 but capable of growing in colder regions as an annual;    upright and dense; leaves basally whorled, cauline dextrorse to    alternate and tightly arranged; with branching on nearly every node    below individual flowers;-   Main stem: Stiff and erect; about 75.0 cm long and 1.7 cm diameter    at base; densely puberulent; cylindrical with basal portion having    ridges extended from central leaf veins; length of ridges extends to    next lower leaf directly below; with basal branches and axillary    branches;-   Main stem and branch color: Nearest RHS 146D and portions receiving    higher light exposure moderately to lightly blushed nearest RHS    N186C;-   Nodes: About 40 per main stem before unbranched flowers; average    about 11.0 mm apart, greater internode spacing distally; spacing of    flowers of main stem about 4.0 mm;-   Node color: Nearest RHS 146D with portions receiving higher light    exposure moderately to lightly blushed nearest RHS N186C;-   Branches: Outwardly in proximal portion, then upright next to main    stem; to about 24 cm long and 8.0 mm diameter; densely puberulent;    about fifteen main branches per plant from lower nodes and 12    branches in upper nodes below individual flowers; color and blushing    same as main stem;-   Foliage: Basally whorled and ovate; cauline dextrorse to alternate    and lanceolate; sessile; acute apex and attenuate sessile base; very    lightly puberulent on both adaxial and abaxial surfaces; serrate and    ciliolate margin; slightly lustrous adaxial, slightly lustrous to    matte abaxial;-   Leaf size: Basal to about 20.0 cm long at base and 11.7 cm wide at    widest point near base, cauline to about 14.5 cm long and 7.0 cm    wide, decreasing distally; about 40 leaves per main stem below    initial flowers;-   Leaf blade color: Basal and cauline adaxial nearest RHS NN137A,    basal and cauline abaxial nearest RHS 147B;-   Veins: Pinnate; puberulent abaxial and sparsely puberulent to    glabrous adaxial; costate on abaxial and slightly impressed adaxial;-   Vein color: Adaxial midrib and proximal primary veins nearest RHS    145A, secondary and distal veins nearest RHS NN137A; abaxial midrib    and proximal primary veins between RHS 145C and RHS 148C, proximal    primary veins nearest RHS 146C, secondary veins and distal primary    veins nearest RHS 137B;-   Flower: Single; perfect; complete; campanulate; zygomorphic; total    corolla average size 52.0 mm long and face opening to 30.0 mm across    and 22.0 mm tall, with basal 35.0 mm of corolla tube fused and to    about 20.0 mm wide and 14.0 mm tall at fusion; with four main lobes,    two side lobes smallest and nearly perpendicular to upper and lower    lobes; two side lobes about 9.0 mm wide at fusion and 9.0 mm long    from fusion with broadly acute apex and micro-ciliolate margin;    upper lobe about 21.0 mm wide at fusion and 10.0 mm long beyond    fusion, slightly reflexed, with rounded micro-ciliolate apex; lowest    lobe about 18.0 mm wide at fusion and 16.0 mm long beyond fusion,    apex typically rounded and micro-ciliolate; speckling absent on    adaxial petal surfaces and dorsal abaxial surface; speckling present    on abaxial lowest lobe and side lobes in spots between 0.1 mm    diameter and 0.3 mm diameter; sparsely puberulent to glandular on    abaxial surfaces and pubescent on adaxial surfaces of middle portion    of lower lobe; upper lobe and side lobes glabrous on adaxial    surface; not persistent, self-cleaning; produces large amount of    nectar;-   Flower number: To about 70 per main stem, to about 39 per lateral    lower branch and 5 per lateral upper branch;-   Flower bud: Oblong tubular; to about 32.0 mm long and 14.0 mm wide    near apex and about 9.0 mm tall near apex, constricting in basal 5.0    mm to about 4.0 mm diameter; apex and base rounded;-   Flower bud color: Dorsal portion nearest a blend between RHS 186C    and RHS 186B, side portions nearest RHS 186D with undertone of    nearest RHS 18C, ventral portion variable with between RHS 186C and    RHS 186B distally and proximally nearest RHS 18C with overtone of    nearest RHS 186C;-   Flower color: Varies with maturity; shortly after opening — ventral    abaxial between RHS 72D and RHS NN74D, dorsal abaxial between RHS    70B and RHS 72C, and adaxial distally between RHS 72D and RHS NN74D    with undertone and blotches about 1.0 mm diameter of nearest RHS 27D    and adaxial central and proximally nearest on upper portion, lower    portion middle between RHS 72D and RHS NN74D with blotches of RHS    27D about 1.0 mm and speckles in the center of blotches nearest RHS    187B; at pollen dehiscence about five days after opening — abaxial    dorsal between RHS 72D and RHS NN74D with undertones of nearest RHS    186D, abaxial ventral proximally between RHS 72D and RHS NN74D with    undertones of nearest RHS 70C and distally nearest RHS NN74D with    undertones of nearest RHS 186D, adaxial upper lobe nearest a blend    between RHS 70B and RHS 186D with midrib nearest RHS 162C, side    lobes between RHS 70B and RHS 70C with blotches nearest RHS 18C,    lower lobe nearest RHS 70B with blotches nearest 18D distally and    proximally with a 10 mm patch of nearest RHS 158A and speckles in    the patch of nearest RHS N79B, basal 5 mm of adaxial and abaxial    corolla tube nearest RHS 145D;-   Inflorescence: Average size main unbranched stem portion to about    39.0 cm long and 8.5 cm wide;-   Flower bract: Lanceolate; sharply acute apex and truncate to rounded    sessile base; margin finely serrated proximally and ciliolate    proximally and distally; adaxial and abaxial finely puberulent; to    about 40.0 mm long and 18.0 mm across near base, decreasing    distally;-   Flower bract color: Adaxial nearest RHS 137A, abaxial nearest RHS    147B;-   Natural flowering season: Early summer through frost;-   Flower longevity: Individual flowers on plant lasting about 7 to 10    days; main flower spike stays in flower for at least three months    under ideal conditions;-   Fragrance: None detected;-   Sepals: Five; persistent; lanceolate; acute apex, truncate base,    entire and micro-ciliolate margin; micro-puberulent abaxial and    adaxial; about 18.0 mm long and 8.0 mm across at middle, decreasing    in distal flowers;-   Sepal color: Adaxial nearest a blend between RHS 147B and RHS 138A,    abaxial RHS 147C;-   Peduncle: Strong, erect; puberulent; to about 75.0 cm long and 9.0    mm in diameter below first flowers;-   Peduncle color: nearest RHS 146D and portions receiving higher light    exposure moderately to lightly blushed nearest RHS N186C;-   Pedicel: Puberulent; cylindrical; erect to 60 degree angle above    horizontal at flower anthesis; to 21.0 mm long and 2.0 mm diameter,    decreasing with distal flowers;-   Pedicel color: Nearest RHS 146C;-   Gynoecium: Single; about 38.0 mm long;    -   -   Style.—Arcuate along adaxial upper lobe; lustrous; about            26.0 mm long and gradually tapering from ovary to stigma to            about 1.0 mm diameter; color in young flower nearest RHS            155C and on mature flower developing light blush distally            toward stigma nearest RHS N186C toward ovary.        -   Stigma.—Bifid in distal 0.5 mm; to about 1.0 mm long and            about 0.5 mm wide; color nearest RHS 4D.        -   Ovary.—Superior; puberulent to glandular; lustrous; long,            conical, apex tapering to meet style, base truncate; about            10.0 mm long and 5.0 mm across at base; color nearest RHS            144A.-   Androecium: Four, didynamous; further extending set dehiscing first;    -   -   Filaments.—Four; cylindrical with basal portion flattened            and adnate along inside of corolla tube; basal 13.0 mm on            shorter filaments and 8.0 mm on longer filaments adnate to            corolla; about 25.0 mm and 28.0 mm long and 1.0 mm diameter            at base; color nearest RHS NN155B.        -   Anther.—Dorsifixed; folded in middle prior to dehiscence;            each half about 4.0 mm long and each half about 2.0 mm            across; color prior to dehiscence between RHS 11B and RHS            11C.        -   Pollen.—Abundant, dust-like; color nearest RHS 158B.-   Fruit: Mature seed pods rarely produced;-   Seed: Viable seed production has not yet been observed;-   Disease and pest resistance or tolerance: ‘Flamingo’ is not normally    bothered by rodents or deer in the landscape. Disease or pest    resistance beyond that typical of other Digitalis hybrids has not    been noted. The new plant performs best in full sun with good    drainage and regular watering. Hardiness: the new plant is winter    hardy to approximately USDA zone 8, but requires a vernalization    period for best flower production.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Digitalis hybrid plantnamed ‘Flamingo’ as illustrated and described.